Olympian Rachael Adams: ‘Our Thoughts Become a Reality’
VBallStars is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Rachael Adams. Her quote is used for educational purposes to illustrate mental training principles.
“It’s not like I didn’t believe in myself. But our thoughts become a reality.”
— Rachael Adams, U.S. Olympic Middle Blocker (Rio 2016 Bronze)
The Story Behind the Quote
After being left off the 2015 World Cup roster, Adams worked with high-performance psychologist Michael Gervais to rebuild her mental game. She earned an Olympic starting position in 2016 and was named the “most improved player in the U.S. program” by head coach Karch Kiraly.
What This Means for Young Athletes
Your thoughts shape your reality on the court. If you think “I always choke in big moments,” your brain looks for evidence to confirm that belief. If you think “I’ve trained for this – I’m ready,” your brain activates different neural pathways.
3 Lessons from Rachael Adams
1. Reframe Rejection
Being cut or not making a team isn’t failure – it’s feedback. Adams used her 2015 setback as motivation.
2. Trust the Process
Mental training is like physical training – it takes consistency. Adams worked daily with her sports psychologist for a full year before seeing results.
3. Own Your Thoughts
You can’t control what happens, but you can control how you interpret it. “Our thoughts become a reality” means taking responsibility for your internal dialogue.
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admin is a volleyball dad who built VBallStars from real experience watching his daughter's journey through elite club volleyball. Mustafa also played high-level AAU basketball and college football — his daughter''s elite club journey, her D1 commitment, and years of being immersed in competitive volleyball. Everything shared comes from firsthand experience in competitive athletics.
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